If you’re partial to such acquired tastes as living, breathing, and just all-around occupying space, you’ve probably picked up on this past year’s lack of a winter in any traditional sense.
Sure, we had a perfunctory snow squall here and there, but these were few and far between, occurring at bafflingly erratic points besides (can’t say I’d ever heard of a white Halloween – sort of clashes with all the pitch-black, blood-bathed paganistic hijinks we’ve come to identify with that most cherished of holidays).
For the most part it’s been a relatively painless few months, though some might argue that all the death and desolation attending our natural scenery is tough to swallow without a blanket of snow dressing things up.
All in all, though, I can’t claim to be mourning winter’s loss too deeply. Snow’s fun for the first month or so, but once the novelty fades it turns out to be little more than a muddy, ugly, decidedly unsexy pain in the ass.
I won’t even get started on that hell-spawned occurrence charitably referred to as “ice,” lest the expletives run amuck.
Suffice to say that, on a visceral level, I’m relatively untroubled both by the low ass-biting cold quotient and the burst of sunshine and gummi bears that cradles me in its sensuous embrace as I put pen to page.
Indeed, it’s difficult to recall there ever having been such an idyllic March. I for one am relishing the opportunity to flaunt my new bikini whilst also getting my tan on – I could get used to this multitasking business.
Day-long hackeysack and Frisbee tournaments are also in order, naturally accompanied by copious usage of the word “brah.” (I also would have accepted “Buggin!”)
Those with an incurable case of the winter blues can rejoice, as Debbie Downer herself might well crack in the face of such resplendence as we have seen in the past week or so.
All in all, it’s tough to complain, at least in an immediate sense. Much as I’m inclined to look a gift horse in the mouth, though (on top of the fact that “they” advise against it, I really can’t imagine it would be remotely pleasant), it’s tough to put environmental implications out of mind.
I think it’s safe to say all but the most obstinate contrarians have by this point accepted the existence of global warming as fact.
Certain interests whose livelihoods would be affected by environmental regulation continue their mis/disinformation campaigns and hire professional skeptics to garble the discussion as to whether we humanfolk have something to do with this phenomenon, but I’ve yet to come across anyone who still denies that said phenomenon is real and something to be concerned about.
As such, you can’t help but feel a little subconscious unease regarding these kinds of schizophrenic, abnormal weather patterns.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy the benefits while they’re available (I certainly am), but it’s good to keep in mind that temporary pleasures and conveniences can have dire long-term ramifications.
Unfortunately, that line of thought can only be taken so far before it dissolves into maddening abstraction. In this instance, there’s little one can really do besides try and maintain as high a degree of eco-friendliness as is feasible.
It’s pretty much impossible to lead a 100 percent ethical existence – don’t know about you, but I have no idea who made my clothes, where they made them or what the conditions were.
Sometimes the best thing is to strive for a positive impact within the local sphere and just hope it spreads; one simply can’t alleviate every injustice on the face of the earth.
Blissful ignorance, however, is another matter altogether and should be discouraged at all costs.
I’m not saying lock yourself in and close the shades out of protest, but maybe give the old motor vehicle a rest and take a walk to your basking point of choice. It may not seem like much, but it helps.
Justin Levesque can be contacted at jlevesque@keene-equinox.com
